The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1887-12-08
Wool Growers Take the Alarm.

BY telegraph 20 the AsheTiIlssCitizsr.l
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA confer
ence o! the wool growers and dealers
called By the President Of the Ma
ional Association of the wool grows
ers now in session here, adopted to-
day thr following: The wool deal
ers and wool growers Of tie ,nited
States. representing 4 capital of over
5000, ,GO0,000. and constituency of
l 1,O0O,H00 wool growers and wool
deslers assembled in conference in
the city of u aS!,iDgton on the 18th
day uf December, 1887, having
read the first annual message of the
President to the 50th Congress, de-
clare that the sentiments of the
message are direct attack upon
their Industry. one Of the most im>
portant of the country, ana in posi-
tive violation of the National Dem
o3ratic platform of 1884, as inter-
preted 0y party leaders and accepted
by the rank and file OF the party.
That the argument made by the
President FOR tie removal Of our
protection against ior4' 'gn competi-
tion is an cid one, repeatedly made
by the enemies Of our industrial |
progress, and is effectuaIly answered |
III nearly tVerY school district of |
our land; and so thoroughly dis
proved by the logic OF facts and |
demonstration of experience and
history as to need no answer from
US. We acknowledge that our
small holdings. our scattered and
unorganized condition makes US the
easy prey Of thefree trader. but
we had a right to expect
something different from 3bief
the Executive OF the Nation at once
the most happy, prosperous and
eontented OF any Of the world,
made so by the policy Of protectian
md development, which he now
.eeks to destroy. We had a right
% expect our President would favor
he wool growers of the L. S. and
confess our deep disappointmcn,s
hat instead, be favored the interests
If our foreign competitors. Justly
alarmed at his position. we make
IN appeal from his recommenda-
ions 10 all people to seven and
hree-fourtns millions Of our fellow
citizens engaged in agriculture to
he millions engsged ii manutac-
uring; to the army of wage whose
wages are maintained by the pro~
cctive system; TO the tradesmen
md merchants whose prosperity
depends Ii! on ours, confident that
heir judgment and decision will be
'ased upon Justice aud patriotism,
nd therefore for the maintenance
Il the American policy OF prOtec-
ion to which the cointry is indebt- /
d 70, its nnexantpled development {
nd prosperity. To demonstrate
he injustice ofthc President'sipolicy
nd f&ilacy of the remedy he propos-
8 for tie reduction of surplus,
We point 10 the fact that il the i
Whole amount ot the revenue {
erived from wool was abolished it {
WOULD reduce the surplus only
bout five r'illions or less; that 10
ents per capita Of ti:- proportion
uir is pail by foreigners while I
he old war taxes he recommended !
etai0ed yield over one hundred
nd nintccn millions, aud is d di- :
ert lax per c;ii;ia of two dollars
ach, ALI is what makes up the .
rcat bulk Of the surplus OF one
and forty millions, and
;hich fosters the most dangerous
monopoly We would further add
he following statistics Ill regard t.
be WOO! iudurjry The anuua! rev
nue. directed from imports nE wool
Inder tariff Of 81 vas less t!.ar ST.
10000 under tbs reduced tariff Of |
S83. Reyenua last year was over
100000 The number of sheep \
n the country in 1888 was 50,626.>
66, in 1887, 44,759,314,1 decrease OF
early six nillions, and a dIminu
ion OF the annual wo product OF e
yer IS million pounds, thus shows 2
ng that re lucjng the tariff by the 4
ct Of 1888 has increased the reve~ U
Tue from imported woods and di- d
ninished lumber of sheep in the
United States about II Per cent, and
he annual product in the same
The Presidents policy
you'd bring about the destruction
# this industry, and the same poll
cy of reduction or abolition of the
ariff would end sin disaster to all
'ther industrial productive enter
rises of the county.